Western Ties: Compass Brothers, Book 4 (3 page)

“Good,” he continued. “I claimed you as my submissive. You gave your consent to the host. That means I own you, Leah. For the next two days, you’re mine. You aren’t going anywhere except to my bed.”

She stood spellbound for several moments, trying to process Sawyer’s comments. He wanted her? In his bed? She closed her eyes, light-headed.

When she opened them again, he patiently studied her face. She shook her head. “I came here because I…” She paused. She couldn’t tell him what she’d been thinking. Hell, she hadn’t been able to admit it to herself for years. “We’re friends, Sawyer. I really wanted—
needed
—a stranger. Someone who doesn’t know me. I mean, chances are pretty damn good we’ll run into each other again at home. That would be awkward. I was hoping to avoid that.”

Sawyer frowned. “The last thing you need is someone who doesn’t know you. Have you ever participated in a scene, submitted to someone? Anyone?”

She shook her head.
 

“Come with me.”

He took her hand. She knew better than to resist. His face told her she wouldn’t leave until he was ready to let her go. While she should be annoyed by his heavy-handedness, her body was on fire.

Like most girls in Compton Pass, she had carried a torch for Sawyer, though she had worked very hard to keep her ridiculous attraction to him a secret. After all, he was one of the infamous Compass brothers. Silas and Seth, the older brothers, had been legends by the time Leah entered high school and Sam and Sawyer, identical twin gods, sent most female hearts racing simply by claiming a nearby desk or saying hello in the hallway. At the time, she’d almost despised herself for her crush. She’d considered herself too practical, too intelligent to act like all the other love-struck girls in town.

Besides, she was smart enough to know nothing would ever come of her infatuation. She and Sawyer lived on two different planets as far as Compton Pass was concerned. Sawyer was the son of JD Compton, a powerful, wealthy rancher, whose quadruple-great-grandfather had founded the town. The Comptons were to Compton Pass what the Kennedys were to Martha’s Vineyard. When they spoke, people listened.
 

Leah, on the other hand, was the only child of a waitress and some faceless sperm donor who hadn’t stuck around beyond the morning after his romp with her mom. She was well versed in welfare and eviction notices and knew all too well how to stretch the almighty dollar. Sawyer had grown up on a sprawling ranch while she’d lived in a tiny apartment above the funeral home. As far as the class structure in Compton Pass was concerned, the Comptons fell into the
haves
category, while she and her mother lived firmly in the middle of the
have nots
.
 

When they reached the top of the massive staircase, Sawyer started down a long hallway. It was then she realized he was familiar with the house. “You’ve been here before.”

He didn’t reply until they stood outside a door. Sawyer took a key out of his pocket, unlocking it and gesturing for her to enter. The room was dark, except for the flicker of a single candle burning by the bed. He closed the door behind them. She heard the lock reengage and waited for him to turn on the lights.

He didn’t.

“I’ve been here several times,” he finally admitted. “Grey and I run in similar circles.”

“With people who are into BDSM,” she added, not bothering to make her words a question.

“Yes. Grey used to live in Portland, which is where I was first stationed. He moved to L.A. about the same time I was transferred to San Francisco, and we’ve kept up our acquaintance.”

She jumped slightly when Sawyer gripped her waist. He spun her slowly, pushing until her back hit the door they’d entered. He stepped closer, completely surrounding her, caging her in.

Her breathing accelerated and her eyes drifted closed. She wondered what it would be like to kiss Sawyer. She’d always been too aware of him. Any time they were in a room together, she knew where he was, what he was doing, who he was talking to.

Now that they were alone together, his breath wafting across her face, the same breathless, heart-racing emotions that were so prevalent during her teenage years returned. She’d only ever felt this way about Sawyer, though she had no intention of telling him that. Besides being cocky, he was a Compton and she would never fit in his world.
 

“You look gorgeous tonight.”

She wasn’t sure how to respond. He thought she was gorgeous?
 

“I’m no Beth.” Only half joking, she referred to the perky, perfect blonde cheerleader who’d bragged about losing her virginity to Sawyer. Leah had skipped gym class that day to keep from scratching the bitch’s eyes out as Beth proceeded to go into graphic detail about the toe-tingling, earth-shattering experience.

Sawyer chuckled softly. “Thank God for that.”

She frowned. What did that mean? Before she had a chance to ask, Sawyer changed the subject.

“Tell me why you came here tonight.” It was a command, short and simple.

“I—” She faltered. She had some dark desires she’d planned to explore, but there was no way she could voice those to Sawyer.

“Tell me, Leah.”

His mouth brushed her cheek as he spoke, and her knees went weak.

“I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t want this with you.”

His hand gently encompassed her neck, rubbing lightly, and even in the dim lighting, she sensed he was studying her reactions. “Liar.”

Her backbone stiffened at his name-calling, even though it was one hundred percent accurate. “Is it so hard to believe that there’s actually a woman in the world who doesn’t feel the need to fall down at your feet?”

“Not so hard. Even though it is highly unlikely.”

His face was pure mischief and before she could stop herself, she laughed. She appreciated his easygoing nature. It was one of the things she’d always admired and envied about Sawyer. While she’d spent most of her life wound up tighter than a spring, Sawyer was a go-with-the-flow kind of guy.

He stroked her face with the tips of his fingers. “That’s a pretty laugh. I don’t hear that enough from you.”

“We’ve seen each other less than a dozen times the past seven years.” Usually whenever Sawyer was home on leave, the two of them managed to meet up for lunch or dinner. They’d spend the evening catching up on life in general. Sawyer was the type of friend she could go months without speaking to, but once they were together it was like they’d never been apart.

“I know, but we’ve called and emailed and I got the letters and drawings from your students.” Leah had started a pen-pal program between local men who’d joined the military and her kindergartners. The students drew pictures and she’d help them pen short accompanying messages. Sawyer never failed to write back to the kids. Once he sent a photo of himself in his uniform standing on the deck of a boat.

She smiled. “I hung up your picture in my classroom. I had to break up a disagreement between two little girls when each of them insisted they were going to marry you when they grew up.”

Sawyer laughed. “Nice to know I’ve still got a way with the ladies.”

“You know Compton Pass. The more things change, the more they stay the same.”

He nodded. “So what about you? Besides this shocking choice of attire and unexpected meeting, what’s changed in your life? I assume you still haven’t taken my suggestion and headed to Nashville to make it big as a songwriter.”

His grip on her waist tightened slightly. She reached for his wrist, torn between pulling his too-provocative touch away or moving his hands higher. “That’s not a very practical career option.”

He rolled his eyes. “God. Still the same Leah. Both feet planted firmly on the ground.”

“I like to think I’m too smart to believe in dreams that can’t possibly come true. Fantasies don’t pay the bills, money does.”

It was obvious he didn’t completely agree with her, but he didn’t continue the argument.
 

 
Sawyer took her hand in his, lifting it and placing a soft kiss on her palm. She’d spent a lifetime wondering what it would be like to be with him, and while she’d always pictured hot, hard, amazing sex, she’d never anticipated his sweet caresses and humor would carry over to the bedroom as well. The rumors from the other girls back home had led her to believe he was an intense lover. She’d always wondered what it would be like to sleep with him. She’d fantasized about it far too many times since puberty hit.

“I’m not going to lie, Leah. I wanted you when we were in school together. I
really
wanted you.”

She snorted. “Yeah right. I didn’t see you beating down my door to ask me for a date.”

He smiled ruefully. “You were a nice girl.”

“So?”

“So I was a horny teenage boy. I wasn’t looking for nice.”

She glanced around the room. “Given our surroundings, it doesn’t look like your requirements in female companionship have changed much.”

He didn’t deny her assertion. “Maybe not, but I think I may have gotten the best of both worlds tonight.”

“How so?”

“I landed a nice girl who wants to be bad. That’s better than riding the bull eight seconds, darlin’.”

“You haven’t scored yet, cowboy.”

“No, but I’m about to.”

“You think so?” she taunted.

He leaned closer, his hot breath tickling her face. “I know so.”
 

Before he could say more, his cell rang. “Shit.”

He didn’t make a move.
 

“Aren’t you going to answer it?”

He shook his head. “No.”

The ringing stopped, but neither of them moved. Instead, they stood cheek-to-cheek, breathing in each other’s scent.
 

Leah started to break the silence, but Sawyer’s cell beat her to it as it rang once more.
 

“Fuck.” He stepped back and took the phone out of his pocket. He started to switch it to silent, but glanced at the number. “It’s Sam. We’ve been playing phone tag for weeks.”

“You should answer it.”

Sawyer pressed a button. “Dude. Really? Twice? I’m sort of busy…”

She grinned. She’d always been jealous of Sawyer and Sam’s close relationship. An only child, she’d longed for siblings while she was growing up.

“Sam? What is it? Is Silas okay? Shit, I should have called. It’s just…”

Leah looked up, concerned. Everyone at home knew about the injury Silas had received in an oil-rig explosion in Alaska. She’d seen Sawyer’s oldest brother a few times since his return to Compton Pass. Enough to know that while his injuries were serious, they weren’t life threatening. At least, she hadn’t thought so.

Sawyer chuckled at Sam’s response and set her mind at ease. He mouthed the words “butt dialed” to her, and she laughed.

“Twice? Talented ass you’ve got, bro.”

“Give the poor guy a break,” she teased him softly.

“I’ll call you in the morning.” Sawyer paused. “You’re sure everything’s good?”

Leah watched as Sawyer’s grin grew. Clearly time and distance hadn’t changed the close relationship between the brothers. She was glad.

Sawyer rolled his eyes. “Don’t you worry about my cock, okay?”

Leah glanced down and raised her eyebrows suggestively at the unmistakable outline of his erection through his jeans. She licked her lips.
 

“Damn. Gotta go.” He hung up the phone, silenced it and threw it on a chair in the corner. When he looked at her again, she forgot every reason, every concern she had about coming up to this room with Sawyer.

“Kiss me,” she whispered.

He didn’t pause, didn’t waste a second considering her request. The moment the plea was issued, he was there—his lips claiming hers, conquering, possessing, overpowering her senses. His hands cupped her face, holding her in place as he plundered her mouth with his tongue. His teeth lightly nipped her lower lip and she moaned.
 

A shudder of need rumbled through her body as she grasped his waist, allowing the door at her back to support her weight as Sawyer gradually wiped every conscious thought from her mind. He was painting erotic, hungry pictures.

He broke off the kiss before she was ready. She moved her hands to his head, trying to draw him back to her. He didn’t budge, didn’t give in to her silent request.

Instead, he grasped her wrists. “Put your hands down.”

She tried to shake off his grip, demand that he kiss her again, but his voice stopped her.
 

“Put them down, Leah.”

Her eyes were starting to adjust to the dim light, and it allowed her to see his features more clearly. It was disconcerting—this near blindness—but it was also freeing. It made it easier to talk to him.

Sawyer slowly lowered her arms. “We’re going to have to work on your inability to follow simple commands.”

She scoffed, the sound escaping before she could think better. She’d never given any man power over her and, despite her desires, it was going to be hard to place herself in someone else’s hands, especially Sawyer’s. She’d come here looking for a stranger. Someone to indulge her fantasies and then disappear come morning.